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Re: The Crucible Draw

Postby SnookerFan

As I said on Twitter, wouldn't it be something if we had Ronnie vs Carter as a first round match? A repeat of last year's final on the first day of this year's tournament.

Re: The Crucible Draw

Postby Roland

That would be highly amusing

Re: The Crucible Draw

Postby Wildey

SnookerFan wrote:As I said on Twitter, wouldn't it be something if we had Ronnie vs Carter as a first round match? A repeat of last year's final on the first day of this year's tournament.

how about the player who beats Carter in Qualifying is drawn against Ronnie and beats him too <laugh>

Re: The Crucible Draw

Postby Skullman

Would you find Carter beating Ronnie funnier, Jewell?

Re: The Crucible Draw

Postby Wildey

you cant underestimate just how big a achievement it would be if Ronnie wins the title without any matches under his belt

his best defense came in 2002 when he lost to Stephen Hendry 17-13

2002 Semi Finals Lost 17-13 Stephen Hendry
2005 Quarter Finals Lost 13-11 Peter Ebdon
2009 Last 16 Lost 13-11 Mark Allen

if that trend continues this year he will lose in the last 32.

Re: The Crucible Draw

Postby Smart

I think this is being overplayed as "the greatest feat ever". The guy has been playing snooker pretty much non stop since he was a kid. Yes he has had breaks and also fallen in and out of love and what not. But the notion that this comeback is gonna be "so so hard" and it will be a "miracle" and the "greatest ever achievement" is all a bit wanky in my opinion. I want Ronnie to win another world title this year, but lets get it in perspective. He is a snooker player, he has never had any other job. He has spent zillions of hours playing the game and yet cos he has had a break from playing for what 6 months it is now a "greatest ever" type achievement if he defends the title. buck off, he is the best player in the world so its not gonna be that massive a surprise if he does win.

Its a nice story and a bit Rocky Balboa but its all a bit made for the Ronnie fan boys this story.

ps Ronnie is practicing with Ebbo according to the Sun today. :wave: :parrot:

Re: The Crucible Draw

Postby Witz78

the sight of Ronnie clearing up the final few balls exhibition style when he has long since wrapped up his 5th world title and the crowd going wild and the camera peering up to his mentor Ebdon in the crowd is a truly wonderful image.

Re: The Crucible Draw

Postby Skullman

Does that mean we'll have a double Ebdon cam for Carter v Ronnie?

Re: The Crucible Draw

Postby Muppet147

I agree with the (admittedly) retarded Smart. It won't be a big deal if O'Sullivan wins the world title again. I expect him to win it, thrashing the over-rated Australian Robbo on the way.

Re: The Crucible Draw

Postby Roland

That carrot juice thing with Carter last year was apparently a hoax

Re: The Crucible Draw

Postby SnookerFan

Smart wrote:I think this is being overplayed as "the greatest feat ever". The guy has been playing snooker pretty much non stop since he was a kid. Yes he has had breaks and also fallen in and out of love and what not. But the notion that this comeback is gonna be "so so hard" and it will be a "miracle" and the "greatest ever achievement" is all a bit wanky in my opinion. I want Ronnie to win another world title this year, but lets get it in perspective. He is a snooker player, he has never had any other job. He has spent zillions of hours playing the game and yet cos he has had a break from playing for what 6 months it is now a "greatest ever" type achievement if he defends the title. buck off, he is the best player in the world so its not gonna be that massive a surprise if he does win.

Its a nice story and a bit Rocky Balboa but its all a bit made for the Ronnie fan boys this story.

ps Ronnie is practicing with Ebbo according to the Sun today. :wave: :parrot:


:goodpost:

Re: The Crucible Draw

Postby Wildey

Ronnie has hardly played any snooker what so ever in 12 months for the last 2 years the World Title has gone to the players thats played and won the most.

in 2011 John Higgins went to the crucible with 3 Tournaments under his belt

in 2012 Ronnie went to the crucible with 4 tournaments under his belt

Ronnie not been the greatest player at successfully retaining titles as it is apart from PL and the rubbish clock.


don't underestimate the feat if he does it.

Re: The Crucible Draw

Postby Roland

If you look back to when he came into the Crucible cold last time, Dominic Dale should've beaten him in round 1. He was rusty and the lack of match practice showed. He seems more hungry this time so will probably fare better but as he said himself, you can't replicate the conditions in practice so that's what could catch him out. If he gets a tough draw against a match sharp player he could be out on the first day.

Re: The Crucible Draw

Postby Andre147

Sonny wrote:If you look back to when he came into the Crucible cold last time, Dominic Dale should've beaten him in round 1. He was rusty and the lack of match practice showed. He seems more hungry this time so will probably fare better but as he said himself, you can't replicate the conditions in practice so that's what could catch him out. If he gets a tough draw against a match sharp player he could be out on the first day.


Yes I agree that all this talk and all and he could very well be out first round in first day. But if he somehow wins the title (I for one highly doubt he will) we can't possibly deny that it would be one if not the biggest achievment ever in snooker. Yes he has played snooker all his life, BUT as he has said himself you can't replicate match and professional conditions of play with just a few exhibition macthes, and he hasn't played any "proper" professional snooker since he last won this title, so it would be a truly amazing achievment if he were to defend his title.

Depeding on the draw of course, I reckon he can reach the quarters or maybe the semis, but then I think he will play against an opponent who has done well this season and therefore may go out. But this is all pure spectulation, and being honest I don't really care how far he goes in this tourney, it's just so nice to see him getting back playing to defend his world crown, cause the Worlds without the defending champion wouldn't be the same. So I'm just eagerly waiting for him to return on that Saturday morning the 20th of April. :-)

Re: The Crucible Draw

Postby Simone

Can´t see it any problem for Ronnie that he hasn´t play any professional matches so far this season. He is just that much of a virtuoso.

The difficulty lies on the defend of a title. Espicially when it´s a world title with all the huge Sheffield venue pressure.

Re: The Crucible Draw

Postby Andy Spark

Sonny wrote:If you look back to when he came into the Crucible cold last time, Dominic Dale should've beaten him in round 1.

Ronnie wiped the floor with Dominic Dale in 2011, I don't think Ronnie missed a blue, pink or black off the spot in the whole match, he was brilliant! Are you talking about an earlier year here?

Re: The Crucible Draw

Postby Roland

He was not brilliant, the scoreline was flattering because Ronnie was rusty and Dale bottled it. So yes, that is the performance I refer to and that's why I believe that if he comes up against a better player in round 1 who is more match sharp than Dale then I fancy Ronnie to struggle and he could be going home on the first day of the tournament which would be fitting really because his season has been about 1/17th of the duration as well.

Re: The Crucible Draw

Postby Wildey

Jewell wrote:People forget that there will also be an element of pressure on the opponents that Ronnie comes up against. They will be playing an opponent who is rusty and they know it, which will bring a certain amount of added expectation that they should actually beat Ronnie.

Ronnie will also be under pressure of showing the world how capable he is without much play.

he might underplay that but deep inside Ronnie wants to put on a good show and basically prove sonny and others Wrong.

Re: The Crucible Draw

Postby Wildey

Jewell wrote:I disagree, I reckon the whole 'rustiness' factor should take the pressure off a bit. That said, I'm not saying Ronnie will definitely win the title, but if he does lose it won't be because of a lack of match practice, it will be because someone has played well to beat him.

so you think Ronnie hasn't been keeping tabs on whats being said and thinking buck you ill prove you wrong.

Believe me the Pressure on Ronnie would be immense.

he doesn't want to turn up and get beat on the first day if he gets through that then everything else might be a bonus but first match first day the pressure will be on him and he would need to get off to a good start.

Re: The Crucible Draw

Postby Roland

For the record I think it will take someone like Mark Allen to beat Ronnie, after all he's beaten him at the Crucible before, but the first session of the first day is where he is most likely to come unstuck due to lack of match practice. If I was a Ronnie fan (which I am but not on the scale of some others :redneck: ) I would be hoping for him to come up against a Crucible rookie or one of known temperament issues like Dale, Holt, Cope etc rather than a good solid pro like Fu, Perry or even Wenbo.

Chances are on paper it'll look like a comfortable win but until the end of the first session come 20th April we're all guessing.

Re: The Crucible Draw

Postby Wildey

Sonny wrote:For the record I think it will take someone like Mark Allen to beat Ronnie, after all he's beaten him at the Crucible before, but the first session of the first day is where he is most likely to come unstuck due to lack of match practice. If I was a Ronnie fan (which I am but not on the scale of some others :redneck: ) I would be hoping for him to come up against a Crucible rookie or one of known temperament issues like Dale, Holt, Cope etc rather than a good solid pro like Fu, Perry or even Wenbo.

Chances are on paper it'll look like a comfortable win but until the end of the first session come 20th April we're all guessing.

yea Marco Fu now that would be something to get the juices flowing although it has been 4 years since he beat Ronnie.

Re: The Crucible Draw

Postby Andy Spark

Sonny wrote:He was not brilliant, the scoreline was flattering because Ronnie was rusty and Dale bottled it. So yes, that is the performance I refer to and that's why I believe that if he comes up against a better player in round 1 who is more match sharp than Dale then I fancy Ronnie to struggle and he could be going home on the first day of the tournament which would be fitting really because his season has been about 1/17th of the duration as well.

I'll grant you the first four frames were a little rusty from Ronnie in that match but once he got into his stride he was brilliant. If you don't believe me I'll give you the list of breaks from Ronnie in the last six frames: 96, 113, 73,115, 96, 100. That's five breaks over 95 and a 73 in six frames from Ronnie. The break stats speak for themselves here and show that even a comparatively "cold" Ronnie is still quite capable of rapidly going up through the gears if he gets his confidence up.


However, I agree that after such a long sojourn he'll need time to settle in, if comes up against a good player playing well in round 1 he might struggle to get going and lose the match.

Re: The Crucible Draw

Postby Wildey

Andy Spark wrote:
Sonny wrote:He was not brilliant, the scoreline was flattering because Ronnie was rusty and Dale bottled it. So yes, that is the performance I refer to and that's why I believe that if he comes up against a better player in round 1 who is more match sharp than Dale then I fancy Ronnie to struggle and he could be going home on the first day of the tournament which would be fitting really because his season has been about 1/17th of the duration as well.

I'll grant you the first four frames were a little rusty from Ronnie in that match but once he got into his stride he was brilliant. If you don't believe me I'll give you the list of breaks from Ronnie in the last six frames: 96, 113, 73,115, 96, 100. That's five breaks over 95 and a 73 in six frames from Ronnie. The break stats speak for themselves here and show that even a comparatively "cold" Ronnie is still quite capable of rapidly going up through the gears if he gets his confidence up.


However, I agree that after such a long sojourn he'll need time to settle in, if comes up against a good player playing well in round 1 he might struggle to get going and lose the match.

its easy playing brilliantly without fear Dominic gave Ronnie a inch and he took a mile.

but even that rustiness doesn't come close to this time round

Re: The Crucible Draw

Postby Roland

I'm with Wild, yes an impressive list of breaks but equally he was handed the chances on a plate for the most part and put under no pressure whatsoever. But then that's likely to happen in round 1 to a player of Ronnie's class.

And as Wild said and Ronnie himself said, all the practice in the world isn't going to make you play well on a match table under tournament conditions if you're not used to it.

Re: The Crucible Draw

Postby Wildey

anyway we can only wait and see.

ive not quite got in to the World Championship yet because we haven't a clue in hell who plays who in qualifying never mind at the venue.

Will Carter be in Qualifying?

Will Stephen Lee be in Qualifying?

Christ will Hendry be in Qualifying? not a hope lol

there's so many things that needs sorting before the Tournament starts in 30 days time.

Re: The Crucible Draw

Postby Andre147

Sonny wrote:For the record I think it will take someone like Mark Allen to beat Ronnie, after all he's beaten him at the Crucible before, but the first session of the first day is where he is most likely to come unstuck due to lack of match practice. If I was a Ronnie fan (which I am but not on the scale of some others :redneck: ) I would be hoping for him to come up against a Crucible rookie or one of known temperament issues like Dale, Holt, Cope etc rather than a good solid pro like Fu, Perry or even Wenbo.

Chances are on paper it'll look like a comfortable win but until the end of the first session come 20th April we're all guessing.


Yes I'm with Sonny here too, I reckon it would take someone like Fu, Perry or even Mark davis to beat Ronnie in round 1, especially Fu and Perry which he hasn''t that good a record against. There will be immense pressure on him to play that's for sure, and to put on a good show rather than simply going out there and play nothing. There will also be pressure on his opponets as well cause they know Ronnie hasn't played recently and they are match sharp.

Robbo has said in an interview that he thinks Ronnie is favourite cause of the fear factor he has by having not played this season and will now come to defend his title, but I reckon that's fluffy bunnies and if I were to choose a favourite player for the title I would definately go for Selby and see if he can complete that hat trick of Major titles, which would be quite something given all the different winner's of tournaments we have had.

Re: The Crucible Draw

Postby Andre147

Wild WC wrote:anyway we can only wait and see.

ive not quite got in to the World Championship yet because we haven't a clue in hell who plays who in qualifying never mind at the venue.

Will Carter be in Qualifying?

Will Stephen Lee be in Qualifying?

Christ will Hendry be in Qualifying? not a hope lol

there's so many things that needs sorting before the Tournament starts in 30 days time.


Exactly all this is pure speculation, so we'l just have to wait a little bit longer. I guess because it's the Worlds and with Ronnie in it and all, everyone wants to give their thoughts on this, and rightly so. But yeah we still have the China Open next week and then the Worlds qualifiers, not to mention that the Worlds are a random draw. By the way, do you know when it will be made?

Re: The Crucible Draw

Postby Skullman

Lee won't be in qualifying either. I heard that he has asked for his hearing to be delayed until after the Worlds to 'have more time to prepare his case', although I'm not sure how reliable the information is.

Re: The Crucible Draw

Postby Witz78

Why would Hendry enter in pre-qualifiers anyway?

Isnt he still officially ranked in the top 64 anyway still so he might as well enter at that stage if he wishes to enter the Worlds (which i highly doubt, though i wouldnt be surprised to see him reappear in future seasons given the new structure)